Optical transceivers are used to transmit and receive optical signals for various applications including, without limitation, internet data center, cable TV broadband, and fiber to the home (FTTH) applications. Optical transceivers provide higher speeds and bandwidth over longer distances, for example, as compared to transmission over copper cables. The desire to provide higher speeds in smaller optical transceiver modules for a lower cost has presented challenges, for example, with respect to thermal management, insertion loss, and manufacturing yield.
Optical transceiver modules generally include one or more transmitter optical subassemblies (TOSAs) for transmitting optical signals and one or more receiver optical subassemblies (ROSAs) for receiving optical signals. In general, TOSAs include one or more lasers to emit one or more channel wavelengths and associated circuitry for driving the lasers, i.e., to convert electrical signals to channel wavelengths. On the other hand, ROSAs include a demultiplexer and one or more lenses for receiving an optical signal having multiple channel wavelengths to convert the same into proportional electrical signals. Existing configurations of optical transceivers include use of TOSAs and ROSAs with separate housings to support transmitting and receiving operations, respectively. In addition, the separate TOSA and ROSA housings may be coupled to receive and transmit circuitry via, for instance, flexible printed circuit boards and printed circuit assemblies (PCBAs).